Don't Forget
by Alurax
Summary: It had become somewhat of an unspoken drinking game for them to take a drink any time any one of them said 'Fred'. Which attested to most of the drunken stupor.-Angelina, Oliver, Lee, Katie and Alicia drag George out of the house for some well needed fun


"Hey, Mrs. Weasley." Lee waved, beaming from ear to ear as he and Angelina waltzed through the front door of the Burrow. "Where's George?"

Molly sighed deeply, looking up from the dishes she was washing, and jabbed a thumb towards the spiral staircase. "He's in his room. Where else?"

"Sounds like the place to be." They made their way up the stairs and up to the room they believed was George's. Lee kicked the door open with a force that would've sent most wizards reeling backwards in surprise. And if George hadn't been bent intently over a cauldron, deep in concentration, he might have. He was dropping ingredients into the cauldron and scribbling their effects on a notebook laying on his desk.

There were papers and notes, and all kind of rather unseemly ingredients splayed throughout his room. Angelina felt she wanted to laugh. If only he applied this much to his potions class.

George did jump, however, when they both clamped him on either shoulder, leaning forward to see him. Lee was still harboring that broad grin. "Wuzzup, Georgie?"

George's wide gaze finally subsided into a scowl. "You guys should know better than to sneak up on me when I'm experimenting. I could've blown us all sky high."

Lee shrugged. "Oh well."

"Come on, you." Angelina patted his shoulder. "You're coming with us."

"What?"

"She means, 'get your butt up.' We're all heading to Oliver's place for a party."

George's face fell. "I can't." He turned back to his cauldron skimming his notes.

"How come?"

"I have to get this mixture right." He rubbed his temple in aggravation. "For some reason I can't seem to figure it out."

Lee and Angelina exchanged looks before Angelina smiled, leaning over George's shoulder again. "Even more reason for you to come with us. Give your brain a rest. It may come to you when you're not thinking about it."

He grimaced again, swatting her away. "Ok, how about this. I'm not feeling too up to a party." His gaze glued to the smoldering contents of the cauldron, they couldn't see the pained glint in his eyes. Then again, they didn't have to. "What the hell do I have to celebrate?"

The exchange of their looks was a tad more saddened than it had been before, both laying a hand on their friend's shoulders. Then the grips tightened and they slid George's chair back and away from the cauldron, so they could stand in front of him. "Now, George." Lee imitated his mother quite well. "You've been cooped up in this room for three weeks. We're taking you out to have some fun, whether you like it or not. It's for your own good."

Yup… definitely mum.

"But I-"

"We can either do this the easy way or the hard way." Angelina cracked her knuckles in what could've been a threatening manner if she wasn't smiling at him.

George just stared at his two friends, wanting to stay angry with them. But he couldn't help it, and smiled, throwing his arms up in defeat. "Alright, alright. I give. I'm going."

"Good." They exclaimed in unison, and didn't even seem to give George the illusion that they were giving him an option. They grabbed him out of the chair, and dragged him out of the safety of his house.

xXx

Oliver, Alicia and Katie each cheered when they saw the two had succeeded in dragging George to their little get together.

To be honest, as much as he still didn't want to be there, George couldn't help but acknowledge he was having fun. For the first time in a long while. They sat in a circle on the floor, the center of which containing all kinds of junk food, drinking, and talking about Fred. Yet, somehow, none of them could keep from laughing.

"Nonononono." Oliver waved a hand at them, trying to speak through a mouthful of corn chips. He swallowed, finally able to elaborate. "I remember when you two first tried out for the team. You-you guys did sooooo much random shit. I couldn't believe it. And- and during the first game. Fred… or you, I don't even remember anymore, but one of ya actually threw your club at the freaking bludger to keep me from gettin hit." They all took a swig of whatever they had in their cup at the time.

George chuckled behind his cup. "I think that was me."

Katie layed down on her side, propped up by her elbow. "Well, what about- about when one of ya actually flipped off the broom and smacked the quaffle back at Angelina, with the uh the broom, when a uh, a Slytherin tried to pass it to their team-mate?"

George raised his glass in a salute, announcing with pride. "Now that was Fred."

It had become somewhat of an unspoken drinking game for them to take a drink any time any one of them said 'Fred'. Which attested to most of the drunken stupor.

"Ah, nana." Lee waved his arms, as if knocking off the thought. "My fave's still when you." He gestured openly to George. "Had both of your brooms. And was riding them both at at the same time. And Fred. Fred was standing on your back."

George was already laughing at what he knew Lee was referring to, while his friend caught up on the group chugs he'd missed.

"And Fred had both of the bats." He could barely talk over his own laughter at the recollection. "Man, I didn't think it would work. Specly not at that speed. How'd you two make it work so well?"

Alicia was cracking up as well. "Aww, man, yea I remember that. McGonagall was getting so pissed."

"I still don't know how Fred didn't fall off?" Angelina drained the rest of her drink and slumped over like Katie, reaching in the center of the circle to grasp a Pumpkin pastie, before getting up for a refill.

"He did fall off, actually." George elaborated. "That knobhead lasted for a good while, but eventually his foot slipped." He took a deep swig of his drink before continuing. "Fred just managed to grab onto one of the brooms, and we just split off again."

The small group was breaking off into their own internal recollections and chuckling. Oliver drank to the thought in his head. "You two were something else, though. Not just on the Quidditch pitch, but in general. Yet, somehow, you managed to do anything that popped in those heads. Though I still don['t know where most of those ideas come from."

"What most people fail to see." George held his knuckles to his lips, trying to work down the last of his drink that seemed to be burning his throat. "Is that Fred is insane." He stood, venturing over to the table where they had stored the alcohol for safe keeping. The others laughed, but Oliver decided to voice their thoughts. "Aren't you both insane?"

"Nonono." He turned from where his drink was partially mixed, holding a hand to his chest. "I may be crazy, but I'm logical about it. Fred, on the other hand." He turned back and drained the rum in his cup, before the counter balance was added, and shuddered. George continued with his concoction. "He would just get an idea and jump in to see if it worked." He laughed at the memory that popped in his head, turning back to his friends, and leaned against the table. "Like-heh-like when we went to go visit Charlie a couple years ago. Next time. Next time any of you see Charlie ask him about the scar." He slapped his right shoulder. "He's got this rrreally bad scar on his shoulder, where a dragon almost ripped his bloody arm off, where he had to save Fred." He laughed again, taking another swig. "Course, the dumbass said to me earlier that he wanted to see if he could ride one of them. Wanted to know if it'd be fun."

Angelina's eyes went wide in shock, but she was still grinning. "He didn't."

George pointed the cup at her. "He said, he didn't. He claimed he just accidently got too close, but I was too pissed to care. It was the only time I ever remembering hitting him. Heheh. That hard at least. Heh, he was so shocked too." He traced a finger on his face, in a rough shape of a hand. "He had this huge red mark on his face. Just the look on his face was priceless." George laughed again, rubbing his nose, and took another drink. "Course that was one of the first times I'd ever been faced with the thought of actually losing him. I was scared to death." He looked as if he was going to drink again, but changed his mind to continue. His hand smacking himself in the chest. "See I'm at least conserved about my insanity, but not Fred." The number of people drinking seemed reluctant. "He'd throw himself into all kinds of stupid things, but not me. I was at least logical about what I did. About what I would do or not do. Cause I had to make sure I would be safe. I had to make sure that I'd be around for him. That I would stay alive- for him! DID HE EVER ONCE SHOW ME THAT COURTESY! NO!" He spun to the parallel wall, and threw the half-empty cup. It exploded in a shower of glass, the contents running down the wall. George stood there with his fists clenched, shaking. Tears cut the high temperature his face had reached through his rage. "Selfish Git."

The little party had fallen silent, all eyes fixed on their enraged friend. Angelina set her glass on the carpeted floor, and stood, making her way over to George. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling his head side-ways onto her shoulder, stroking his hair.

George sniffed, wiping his eyes. He looked up at the amber color staining the wall, finally seeming to realize what he'd just done. "Man, I'm sorry Ollie."

"S'okey, George." Oliver drained the rest of his drink and stood to join them, rubbing his hand along George's back. "You alright?"

"No." George sobbed, sliding an arm around Angelina, resigning to bury his face in her shoulder. "How the hell am I supposed to be alright?"

The rest of the group started to gather around George and Angelina, trying to figure out what they could do to help dissipate their friend's anguish. If it were even possible.

George was feeling a tad inclosed, despite the helpful gesture, and ducked away from Angelina and Oliver's touch. "I mean, what, because some self-hating wizard and his dumbass followers have a beef against muggles, I have to lose Fred? It wasn't even supposed to be our fight. Where in the book is it fair for me to lose not only my brother, but my best friend, my partner, and the only person I could even trust, all in one fell swoop." He rubbed his eyes and laughed again, though it held a small touch of hysteria. "Guess that's why they tell you not to put all your eggs in one basket. Cause you may drop the bloody basket, then every one of those damn eggs will break, then what are ya left with?" He started to cry again, trying to hide his face from his friends. "Nothing but a big mess, and an empty basket. It's not fair. Why him? Why there?" He fell against the doorframe, feeling his legs growing weak. Not completely sure if it was from the alcohol or his own sorrow. "We always thought we were going to die during one of our experiments. Then maybe. hic. Maybe we could've gone together, and neither of us would have to be feeling this right now. Neither of us would have to hurt."

He lost the battle and slumped down the wall onto his knees. "I just want my sense of humor back." Angelina stepped cautiously closer, and sank to her knees. She brushed the tears from George's cheeks, moving into his hair. "George?" Her voice came out as a soft wimper, trying to tilt his head up to look at her. A few tears traced along her own cheek.

George sniffed, wiping his face. "I'm sorry. I just ruined the whole evening. I told you I didn't want to come."

There was a group concenses about how George was wrong, that his reaction was perfectly alright, and all that jazz.

Lee sank to his knees beside him, clamping a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. It's better for you to get this stuff out around us, than staying cooped up in your room all day." He squeezed his shoulder effectionately. "In a way, we were counting on it."

"Tsh. Oh yea, that's what I needed to hear."

Angelina kissed George on top of his head, and brushed the hair out of his face. "Come on, George. Let's get you some air." George rubbed his eyes, but allowed her to help him up. Angelina slid an arm around George, leading him outside.

The cool night air washing over them had a very sobering effect on them both. "I'm sorry, George."

"Don't worry about it."

"We just wanted to help."

George laughed shortly. "I said, 'don't worry about it.' It was bound to come out one way or another. I'm just glad it was around you guys." The two were having a little bit of trouble walking, considering they were a lot drunker than they thought, but it didn't really matter.

"Do you want me to take you home?"

Tsh, no. He definitely didn't want to deal with his family right now. Not in this state. Besides, he liked being alone with Angelina. Maybe she wasn't as close to Fred as he was, but she was the only person, outside of the family, that could honestly say she loved Fred. "I don't wanna go home. Come on." Out of nowhere, he grabbed tighter to her, and the two dissapperated with a loud crack into the night sky.

When they arrived, they fell apart, Angelina falling straight to the ground. Dissapperating was always rough and annoying, but it felt worse this time around. She scowled at George. "Don't apperate me, while your drunk, ever again."

George just laughed, falling into the grass. "We made it didn't we?"

"Perhaps. But if I got splinched, I would kill you."

George shook his head, and laughed again, starting to push himself up. "I'd welcome it."

Anglina sat up on her knees, not believing she had just said that. "Don't say things like that."

George looked out in the distance, his eyes taking on an almost sage-like glint. "Don't worry too much about that. As much as I want to be with Fred, I can't do anything that would cause my own death. Fred died as a hero. Fighting to protect our world, and our family. If I kill myself, I'd be a coward." His gaze fell down to Angelina. Somehow, he was smiling. "And I'd never see him again."

Angelina felt she wanted to cry, mainly from the thought of George actually considerig such a thing. On the other hand, glad he was sane enough to think this through logically. She smiled in return, taking the hand he was offering her to stand. For the first time, since they arrived, Angelina looked around. They appeared to be standing in front of a lake, surrounded by what could easilly be miles of folliage. "Where are we?"

George turned to look out over the water, and a genuine smile touched his lips. "The Weasley swimming hole. Fred and I came here all the time when we were kids." He started to lead her down the pier. "We don't know what it was actually called, but Fred and I discovered it when we were, what eight I think? It kinda became our base of operation. Or just some place to hide out when Mum was mad at us."

He threw an arm around her waist, and pulled her in tight to him, reaching up to grab something seemingly invisible. How he knew where it was, she'd never know. Then again, this was George Weasley we were talking about. "Hold on tight." A rope appeared in his clenched fist, and soon they were jerked upwards. Dragged up into the trees. Angelina clung to George until they'd made it up into the branches. Seemingly sliding through what felt like a cold sheet of water. It's a good thing that there was a platform, lined with a rail, because she doubted she'd be able to keep from falling off in her drunken state. Though it was strange that George seemed to be as sober as he was. Angelina looked down at the ground, feeling a rush run through her head, making her giggle like a school girl.

"We spent so much time just trying to rig this right, when we were younger. It took even longer when we got to school, and weren't allowed to use magic anymore."

Angelina stared in awe at the small midair encampment. There seemed to be another world up here. Complete with small house-like structures embedded deep in the trees, and rope bridges and zip-lines connecting them all. She could almost picture the little twins sliding around on the ropes, which brought a smile to her face again, but it took her a bit to realize George wasn't standing next to her. "George?" Angelina glanced around until she saw he was walking out along one of the bridges. One foot in front of the other along a line only as wide as his foot. Arms outstretched for balance.

Again, Angelina was kinda impressed. She leaned against the railing, glancing from George down to the ground. "Have you ever fallen off?"

"Psht, course we have. In fact, at one point, it's why we stopped coming here as much. During our first year, we came back for Christmas break." He gestured out towards the other end of the encampment. "And the ropes over there broke, dropping Fred right through the ice." George teetered a bit, but smiled. "I almost got in trouble for using magic, and Fred got sick. Heh, and let me tell you, that boy's a pain in the ass, when he's sick… Ok, he's always a pain in the ass." He twisted a foot, and turned to face Angelina again. "But even more so, when he's sick."

Angelina laughed, sliding down to sit down on the edge of the landing. "Is he now? That's good to know. So, you two never came back here after that?"

"Oh no, we still came back. Just not as often. Plus, we were far more ensnared with developing merchandise for our shop." He stopped moving, balanced like a statue on the ropes.

Angelina kicked her feet idly. "Oh, yes. The Wheezes. You two always amazed me with the stuff you could make."

George lifted one leg out towards the side. "Yea." He allowed the leg to lift higher, until he started to tilt to the other side, then let gravity take over.

"George!" Angelina gasped, as he fell off the rope and on down to the water. A large splash resounding where he hit. She stared down in shock, holding her breath until a mop of red hair sprang out of the surface of the water. George waved up at her. "Hey you. Come on in, the water's great."

Angelina growled in response. "Damn you, George Weasley. Give me a bloody heart attack."

"Is that a no?"

"I'm not wearing my swim suit, ya git."

"Neither am I."

"Yes, but you've already admitted that you're crazy."

"Hey, Angelina."

"What?"

"Don't flail."

"What?" The meaning was soon realized when George waved a hand up at her. Something tugged the front of her shirt, pulling her right off the platform. She screamed, and despite the warning, her arms flailed about, hitting the water with an even bigger splash than George had managed.

George tried not to laugh, only for the reason that he knew she'd be angry. And of course, he was right. When Angelina's head sprang from the water, she was panting, head snapping around in a near panic. When her eyes finally landed on George, it took a moment for the scowl to finally find her gaze. "You."

"Sobered you up a bit, did it?"

"You. Ooh, I should… ooh." She splashed him. "I should strangle you." Her splashes seemed almost vicious, but George just laughed. "You gotta catch me first." With that, George took a deep breath and dived under the water, hitting her leg as he swam past. She kicked at him, but missed, the anger wanting to remain, but there was no way to stay mad at that face, when it had re-appeared. She snorted, splashing him again, and made her way towards the pier. George followed in suit, swimming along side her. "Are ya mad?" He asked, in an almost mocking tone.

Angelina pursed her lips at him. "No, I'm not mad. I'm just annoyed."

George flipped over to swim on his back. "Aww, don't be like that. I was just lonely."

Anglina pulled herself onto the wooden pier. George rested his arms against the pier, staring up at her with those big puppy-dog eyes. "I'm not used to being alone, y'know."

She stared at him, unsure if the saddness in his eyes was sincere, or just a ploy for attention. Maybe both. With a sigh, Angelina sat down next to where George was. She pulled out her wand and began to dry out her clothes. A soft wave of heat emminating from the tip. George layed his head against his arms, staring up at her. He smiled as he watched her dry out her clothes, noting the slight shiver. "Are you cold?"

She looked down at him, a hint of annoyance still touching her gaze. "Of course I am. It's bloody freezing out here. Aren't you cold?" George shrugged. "Maybe a little. I'm ok with it though."

"Oh, shut it. Now, get up here and let me dry you out."

George snorted, but climbed up all the same. "Whatever you say, Mum."

She started waving her wand over George, drying his clothes. "Wonder how many times you've said that."

"More than you'd think, actually."

"I'll bet." She smiled at the notion of George ever doing what his mother told him to, glancing up at him. The smile faded, however, when her eyes met his.

Angelina became instantly entranced with his beautifully familiar brown eyes. Those eyes drawing her in until her lips brushed against his. They parted only briefly, her arms sliding around his neck to deepen the embrace.

A soft pain soon hit George's chest. His hands moved up to Angelina's shoulders, pushing her back. His head fell.

Angelina stared at the top of his head, a bit dazed. "ff- George? Something wrong?"

Twin tears slid from George's closed eyes, and off the bridge of his nose. His voice was so low, that she could hardly even hear him when he finally spoke. Angelina stroked a hand through his hair. "What was that?"

George turned his gaze up to her. "I said, 'I'm not Fred.'"

Angelina was struck dumb by the sudden reminder. "I-I don't." She didn't even have to say it for George's eyes to tell her he didn't believe her. This was exactly why they made a pact not to date anyone the other had.

"I never can be."

"I know." She stared back down at the water, ashamed of her own thoughts. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

They were both quite for a short while, until George sighed. "Maybe I should go home. Thanks for putting up with me." He squeezed her shoulder, mainly to tell her he wasn't mad, and stood, starting off down the pier.

"If it helps, you don't kiss like him." George froze, glancing back at her.

Angelina smiled up at him, tears coating her cheeks again. "For one thing, you're a lot softer."

George didn't fully know what to make of that statement, but he smiled despite himself. It was the first time he could remember someone pointing out a difference between him and Fred that they hadn't pointed out themselves.

_AN: mwahaha i mergded stuff... eh, worked well enough. I was sad. This may be a pointless side-note, but the "Fred" drinking game was sorta an after thought. I had a sodar sittin next to me while i was typing this, and i kinda found that i was taking a drink anytime i wrote "Fred", so i figured it'd be fun to put it in =D_


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